Adding a dbx 166xs Compressor/Limiter/Gate to your live sound rig or studio gives you more dynamic control to help create a more polished, professional sound. Having compression in your audio chain gives you the ability to smooth out uneven levels, add sustain to guitars and fatten up your drums. It also makes it easy to bring vocals to the front of your mix - adding greater clarity and making them stand out from the surrounding instruments. To protect your expensive amps and speakers the PeakStop limiter provides an absolute ceiling for peak excursions or large transients that could damage your equipment.

dbx knows compressors...after all they invented them! The 166xs is the latest in a long line of the world's most successful compressors from the inventors of the technology. Its patented Overeasy compression technology provides smooth and musical performance while the AutoDynamic attack and release controls, found only on dbx compressors, puts great sound within easy reach. The 166xs can operate in stereo or dual-mono modes, has true RMS power summing and features quality XLR and 1/4" TRS inputs and outputs. It cuts no corners on visual feedback with gain reduction metering and easy-to-read backlit switches.

The dbx 166XS is super easy to use and very transparent. Absolutely NO coloration or weird artifacts. I use it in a channel insert with my mixer for vocals and set the attack and release on Auto, and use Soft Knee. Super smooth and quiet operation. I also own a Behringer MDX2600 and 4600 and they are very good compressors but not as good as the dbx. If you want pro sound at a decent price, get this!

Once I figured out how to hook it up to my mixer, it was great. I put it on auto mode since I really don't know what I'm doing and it just works. I have only had it a couple of days but I'm sure I'm going to really like it. It's very solidly built and the knobs have a nice feel. So far I have just tried it on my voice but plan on using it for my acoustic and electric guitar as well. Plus the price with the rebate...I couldn't pass it up. Musicians Friend, great as usual.

I typically don't review equipment for several weeks after installing, to ensure my review is based on usage experience and not just first impressions. However, with the DBX 166XS I'm already in love!

The thing was easy to install, and with experience, easy to setup. Why "with experience"? Because compressors require some experience, otherwise, they can make things sound terrible. However, the DBX 166xs was fantastically simple for me to setup. I did a quick review of the manual to ensure terminology was the same as other similar gear I've used, and then I went to work. Less than an hour later I had installed the unit in my portable rack, patched it in, and had it fully tweaked for my use. That's an hour from unpacking to using without needing to touch it!

My use: I'm getting older (40's) and my low-end vocals don't have the power they used to (range suffers as we age...it sucks). So I needed something to bring up the low end, while keeping my mids and highs in a reasonable dynamic range. The DBX 166xs made this easy. Again, the instructions were pretty simple, and having used other compressors, I found it a quick and simple setup.

Gating was a little abrupt; but only when catching at the threshold. Overall, this thing is going to help save my voice (less strain), and provide a more consistent feel to the people attending my events. Oh...and it doesn't hurt that there are two channels; so now I'm doing just a little compression on my guitar too; gating and limiting as well for more consistency between effects.

I've gotten a lot of use out of this unit and would recommend it to anyone looking for a clean, transparent, and easy to use compressor that works flawlessly in a multitude of situations and environments. It just works...every time.The Overeasy and Autodynamic features make this unit easy to set up and use right out of the box. I had no previous experience with compression on anything other than guitar. My first project was to fatten and level a mix on a live recording. I did a little light reading and set the unit up and dialed it in with only minor tweaking to the ratio and threshold. The unit is bullet-proof as far as I can tell. No quality issues whatsover and very quiet. I've never heard a warbling or any sort of artifact derived by the process. It just sounds great and is transparent in operation. There are a lot of compressors out there. I could have spent less but I've heard some of those budget units in action and they pale in comparison. For my money the 166xs was the best value.